Temple Baptismal Font

Baptismal Font, Salt Lake City Temple

1 Kings 7 Description of the Baptismal Font in Solomon's Temple

[25] It stood upon twelve oxen,
three looking toward the north, and three looking toward the west, and
three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east: and
the sea was set above upon them, and all their hinder parts were inward.
[26]
And it was an hand breadth thick, and the brim thereof was wrought like
the brim of a cup, with flowers of lilies: it contained two thousand
baths.
[27] And he made ten bases of brass; four
cubits was the length of one base, and four cubits the breadth thereof,
and three cubits the height of it.
[28] And the work of the bases was on this manner: they had borders, and the borders were between the ledges:
[29]
And on the borders that were between the ledges were lions, oxen, and
cherubims: and upon the ledges there was a base above: and beneath the
lions and oxen were certain additions made of thin work.

Baptismal Font, Mesa, Arizona LDS Temple

The baptismal font in the Mesa Temple is mounted upon twelve oxen. A similar design is used in other LDS Temples.

There are multiple levels of symbolism in this design.

Furthermore,
the oxen represents the tribe of Ephraim, which plays a key role in the
restoration of the gospel in the latter-days. (Each of the twelve
tribes had a symbol. The ox was the symbol of Ephraim.)

But
one ox in the Mesa Temple is unique in that its left horn points
backwards and its right horn points forward. Both horns of each of the
other eleven oxen point forward.

The
accepted explanation is that the unique ox has no particular
significance and that its design was only a matter of the sculptor's
whimsy. Perhaps, this is so.

Or
perhaps the unique ox repesents the tribe of Judah, with one horn
pointed backward to covenant of the Old Testament and the other pointed
forward to the covenant of the new testament. The tribe of Judah gave
to us our Savior Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ commands us in 2 Nephi 29 to express gratitude to the Jews for their sacrifices in giving us the Holy Bible.

Mesa, Arizona LDS Temple, Further Notes

The
Mesa Arizona Temple was built in a style suggestive of Solomon's Temple
in Jerusalem. It lacks the spires and Angel Moroni statue which are
common in other temples.

The
Temple holds an annual Easter Pageant on the Temple grounds. Twice
during the presentation, twelve men enter the stage. Each holds a
banner with a symbol of one of the twelve tribes. The Lion is symbol of
Judah. The Ox, or bullock, is the symbol of Ephraim._______

Barukh sheim k'vod malkhuto l'olam va'ed.Blessed be the Name of His glorious kingdom for ever and ever.

See also

by Edward J. Brandt, “I Have a Question,” Ensign, Mar. 1993, 54–55

[1]
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed
me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the
brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of
the prison to them that are bound;

1 Corinthians 15

[29] Else what shall they do which arebaptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they thenbaptized for the dead?

1 Peter 4

[6]
For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead,
that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live
according to God in the spirit.

Acknowledgments

Special thanks to Dawn Malek, whose question prompted me to write this webpage.